Pranay Parab

Pranay Parab Freelance Writer

Experience

Pranay Parab is an independent tech journalist based in Mumbai, India. He covers tech for Lifehacker, and specializes in tutorials and in-depth features.

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May 12, 2026

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Table of Contents

Outlook is among the best Gmail alternatives for most people . Microsoft's email service is free and has a bunch of features that Gmail does not. At the same time, there are some shared features you'll likely want to use if you're coming from Gmail—they're just not enabled by default. I've been using Outlook's email service for over a decade, and these are the best hacks I've discovered while sorting through my inbox.

Disable image downloads to prevent email tracking by shady companies

Companies and organizations often use pixel tracking to see if you've opened their emails.…